Marshalltown Recovery Continues

posted by WMT News/KCRG-TV9 -

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (KCRG-TV9) --It has been ten days since a destructive tornado hit Marshalltown, and many are still feeling the after effects of the damage.

Community members and volunteers from across the country are working together to help build Marshalltown back up.

Driving through the neighborhoods in Marshalltown, the damage on trees and homes are still extraordinarily clear. With a lot left to rebuild, it has not slowed down emergency relief efforts.

Lenny Greene remembers all the details from the tornado ten days ago. "There were trees back here," Greene recalled. "They were laying on top of the garage."

The homes on Bromley Street were some of the hardest hit. Less than two weeks later, he is still going through the rebuilding plan with his wife.

"We got electricity back, now it'll be a while before we get our gas back," Greene said. "She doesn't like taking cold showers."

For many around Marshalltown, like Greene's wife, assessing the damage can be traumatic.

"Sure changes your perspective on things," Greene said. "She still doesn't want to go out and look at it. She hasn't been out, she stayed in her house. She wouldn't leave it. She had no electricity but she wouldn't leave."

Around Marshalltown there are many homes in a similar condition to that of Greene's- or much worse. So the Red Cross is ramping up their efforts to help those in this area.

"We've been out feeding them, we've had the mobile emergency response vehicles out feeding," said Tim Heathcoat, a volunteer from Illinois with the American Red Cross. "Even some of the people who aren't affected, just the volunteers who are coming in working. We're feeding them and taking care of some of them."

Heathcoat said their main goal is to help people with have a sense of regularity and support.

"Just helping the families through it," Heathcoat said. "They're devastated. They just need some emotional support also."

"Red Cross every day they're offering food," Greene said in appreciation. "They have it in their trunks. 'You need any water, you need any food. The supports been tremendous."

Support those with the Red Cross say they are doing with one message:

"You're going to get through this," Heathcoat said. "The Red Cross is here, there's a lot of other agencies that are here that are willing to help. And you're going to get through this; you'll move past this."